Adjusting
by cupcakesintheimpala
Summary: S1!AU. Sister!fic. Addison 'Addie' Winchester left hunting the second she turned eighteen and never looked back...but the 'apple pie' life she found is now long gone. One day her brothers show up at her house, asking for her help: their father is missing. Looking for an escape, she goes with them. Can she handle going back to the life she hated so much?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural**

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Title: Adjusting  
Summary: Season 1 AU. Sister!fic. Addison 'Addie' Winchester left hunting the second she turned eighteen and never looked back once she'd found her 'apple pie' life. But that's gone now - long gone. One night, her brothers show up on her front step asking for her help to find their missing father, and looking for an escape from what her life has become, she goes with them...but can she handle going back to a life she swore she was done with so long ago?  
Genre: Angst/Family  
Rating: T  
Pairings: None  
Spoilers: Anything from 1x02: Wendigo - 1.22: Devil's Trap is fair game.

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Note: I couldn't get this idea out of my head. Thus, it became fic.

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Prologue:

**Seattle, Washington**

_"Mama!"_

_"Take your brothers outside as fast as you can. Don't look back! Now Addie - Go!"_

_She was pushing Dean in front of her and holding Sam protectively to her chest as the they tore down the steps and out the front door._

Addie groaned and rolled over in her sleep, clutching Brielle's stuffed pink bear tighter to her chest, brow furrowing as the dream changed.

_"Addie I'll get her. It's okay."_

_"Okay." Addie rolled back over in bed and threw her pillow over her head._

_A strangled yell jerked her out of the doze she'd fallen into. She nearly fell out of the bed, tangled in her bed sheets as she tried to run toward her daughter's nursery. She was halfway down the hall when she heard Jason yelling. It wasn't long before she heard Brielle screaming in her crib and Jason yelling and she made it to the doorway -_

_Oh God._

_Jason was on the ceiling._

_Her fiance was on the fucking ceiling._

_The nursery was on fire._

_"Brielle!" she screamed over the roar of the flames. "Brielle!"_

Addie woke up screaming. It took her a few minutes before she realized that it had been a dream, but that didn't stop the fact that it had once been all too real.

She wouldn't forget that night - how could she? Her fiance and her six month old daughter were gone because of what had happened.

Addie glanced at her alarm clock and swore silently: 11:30 a.m. She'd overslept. Fantastic. Ray was going to evicerate her for being late. She yawned, got up and showered before changing from her pjs to her Wal-Mart uniform. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment as she quickly pulled long black locks up into a bun at the top of her head.

Green eyes stared back at her tiredly, dark circles evident under them. She rubbed her pale face and sighed before splashing water on it. It didn't help much; she hadn't gotten much sleep since the funeral. Why bother trying to look

As she was making her way to the kitchen to grab a couple of granola bars, a familiar voice stopped her.

"Nice place, sis."

She wheeled around to see her younger brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester parked on the couch.

_Son of a bitch._

* * *

Addie wasn't sure how long she stood there in the living room, staring dumbly at her brothers. Eventually, she managed to find her voice.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" she asked hoarsely.

Sam glanced at Dean, then at Addie.

"How've - How've you been?" he asked.

She stared at him incredulously. "Shitty. You didn't answer my question." When met with silence, she scoffed. "Figures. I'm late for work. Later."

"Addie -" She froze for just a second when she noted the pleading note in Dean's voice. "Can we just talk? Please?"

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, knowing she'd never get rid of them easily...and part of her didn't want to anyway, at least, deep down.

"Okay."

* * *

"So...this is that apple pie life, huh?"

"Not so much." Addie looked at her hands. "Not anymore, anyway."

Dean had been looking at a set of photographs on the mantle over the fireplace. Addie's throat constricted as he picked up a photo of her and Jason, taken back when she'd been around six months pregnant.

"You've been holdin' out on us, sis. Who's the lucky guy? Not to mention that niece or nephew you never told us about?"

_Fuck. _How could Addie tell them what had happened? How could she divulge how similar it had been to their mother's death?

"J-Jason," her voice cracked. "My fiance. And uh...its niece. Brielle." she blinked back tears and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep her composure. "Do uh...do you guys want a beer or something?"

She didn't like the way they looked at her, but any excuse to get out of the room at that point was fucking awesome. When they both nodded, she bolted for the kitchen.

"Add?" she heard Sam say softly as she fumbled with the bottles, her hands shaking so badly it was a wonder she hadn't dropped them. "Everything okay?"

Addie struggled not to cry and steadied her hands as she opened the beer bottles. "'M fine. Take those in the living room."

"Addie -"

"Go." she gave him a light shove and attempted to smile. "I'll be there in a sec, okay?"

He looked at her skeptically, but nodded and silently made his way back to the living room. Addie grabbed her cell and quickly called work, spinning a quick lie that she'd come down ill and wouldn't be able to make it in.

Then she went back into the living room. Sam wordlessly passed her one beer.

"You wanna tell us what happened?" Dean asked hesitantly after a while, breaking the awkward silence that hung over the siblings.

Addie shook her head as she sank down on the sofa inbetween the two men. Sam's hand slid gently over her shoulder.

"Addie?"

Silence. Dean looked at Sam questioningly, but then Addie spoke:

"It was just like that night," she whispered.

"What night, Ad?" Dean asked. "You gotta help us out a little here, alright?"

"Mom," she whispered brokenly, and the color drained from Dean's face as he realized what she meant. Sam's grip on her shoulder tightened. "She woke up crying and - Jason said he'd get her. I must've dozed off or something, but the next thing I knew I was awake and I -" a tear rolled down her cheek. "When I got there, he was on the ceiling, and Brielle was screaming and I - I couldn't get to her. Oh God...I couldn't..." Unable to speak anymore, she disolved into tears, the beer bottle in her hands slipping from her grip and falling to the floor where it spilled its contents onto the normally clean white carpet.

Sam pulled her into his arms and held her tightly while Dean cleaned up the mess. By the time he came back, Addie was already wiping her eyes and blowing her nose on a tissue offered by Sam. He wondered vaguely if she was covering the way she used to when they were kids.

When her boyfriend Scott had dumped her during her freshman year, he'd caught her crying several times when she thought neither he nor Sam were watching. She would put on her 'game face' and act like nothing had happened, fixing her make up before researching whatever case their father was on.

"Sorry," she was muttering thickly. "It happened less than a month ago. I'm...I haven't totally gotten myself together yet."

"It's okay." Sam said softly. "I...I lost my girlfriend a couple of weeks ago."

Her hand found his and squeezed gently. "I'm so sorry, Sammy."

"Thanks." he paused. "and it's Sam."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

* * *

"...so how far d'you think to Grand Junction from here?"

"Less than a day, probably. You want to ask her or do you want me to do it?"

"Why would I even bother?"

Dean stared at his brother in confusion. "What d'you mean?"

Sam shifted his weight uncomfortably. Addie had gone to get herself a new beer - he suspected she wanted to avoid talking about everything and he didn't blame her.

"She left to get away from the life - away from him." he said in a low voice. "Do you think she'd come back to find him?"

Dean frowned. "We need help, alright? What's better than having her with us?"

" Dad is _missing_." Dean growled. "She needs a distraction - she needs to do fucking _something -_"

"This isn't about Dad." Sam stared at him hard. "Is it?"

"What? Of course it is!"

"No it's not -"

"Bull."

"Sam -"

"No, he's right." Both men turned to see Addie walking back into the living room. She looked way more composed, and was staring at Dean coldly. "What the hell is your problem?"

He shrugged.

"Don't have one."

"Don't lie to me." she retorted, her tone deadly. Sam winced, reminded all too well of the fights she and Dean had gotten in when they were kids. "What stick jammed itself forty feet deep in your ass?"

"You left." he snarled.

"Yeah. I did." she spit out. "And?"

"That's it. You fucking _left _us!" he yelled, his voice echoing slightly in the large room. "You didn't call, you didn't write - fuck, did you even know Sam got into Stanford?!"

"Dean -"

"Eleven years, Add! _Eleven years! _You could've called me - you could've called Sam!"

"Dean -"

"Eleven years, Add! _Eleven years! _You could have called me - you could have called Sam!"

"Why the hell would I do that, D?" she asked, the volume of her voice rising quickly. "So Dad could drag me back kicking and screaming? I _didn't _want to be a hunter!"

"Dad is missing!" he snapped.

Addie's eyes widened. "Wait - what?"

"On a hunt," Sam said quickly, before his brother could respond; he was just making things worse. "Last time Dean heard from him was almost a month ago."

"We tracked him to Grand Junction, Colorado," Dean told her, now much calmer. "We were gonna head there after Sam's girlfriend - but Dad's journal -"

"You've got Dad's _journal_?" she said in surprise.

"Yeah." Dean hesitated. "It's how we found you. I guess he's been keeping tabs on you for a while."

Addie let out a strangled noise, somewhere between a snarl and a scream. "How -?"

"Credit card, W-2s...you name it, he probably got his hands on it." Sam shrugged. "Look...just come with us - you can leave any time you want. I'm not gonna stop you and neither is Dean...but we could really use your help, Addison."

She bit her lip, trying to force back all the angry thoughts she was having over their father tracking her. The man was her father, and she didn't blame him for wanting the thing that killed their mother dead, but the way he'd gone about the whole revenge thing was just _wrong_...

But she couldn't live with herself if he was hurt or close to dead and she didn't do anything to help Sam and Dean find him.

"Fine," she said after a long silence had passed. "I'm in."

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**So what do you guys think? Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.**


	2. Wendigo: Part 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original character.

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Chapter 1:  
**Wendigo: Part 1**

"Wake him up."

"I'm not gonna wake him up. He barely gets enough sleep as it is since everything happened."

Addie stared coldly at Dean then looked at Sam, who was tossing and turning in his sleep - quite an accomplishment for the small space they were all confined to. She reached over the front seat and grabbed their father's journal where it lay on the smooth leather and flipped it to a page Sam had shown her earlier.

"I can't believe he's still using fucking coordinates," she muttered.

Dean snorted. "Did you really expect him to change while you were gone?"

"No," she said shortly. "I just -"

At that moment, Sam woke with a start, looking around frantically, and then tried to calm himself as he realized where he was. Addie reached over the seat and rubbed his shoulder.

"You with us, Sam?" she asked softly.

He nodded and lifted one hand, wrapping it around hers and squeezing lightly. "'M fine, Add...thanks."

"Another nightmare?" Dean asked abruptly. Sam didn't look at him, and Dean nodded, leading to Addie smacking his arm hard, but not enough to interfere with his driving.

"You don't have to read my mind," Sam told him.

"You wanna drive for a while?" Dean asked.

Sam actually laughed at that. "Your whole life you never once asked me that."

Dean shrugged.

"Just thought you might want to. Nevermind."

"Look, man, you're worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay."

Addie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah that's totally believable."

He turned around in his seat and glared at her. "I'm _fine._"

"Mhm." Dean said. Sam didn't respond. Instead, he grabbed a map and opened it.

"Where are we?"

"Just outside Grand Junction," Addie told him.

Sam looked down at the map. "It's weird," he replied, "These coordinates he left us. This Blackwater Ridge - There's nothing there. It's just woods." he looked at Dean. "Why is he sending us to the middle of nowhere?"

Dean didn't answer.

* * *

"So Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote." Addie rolled her eyes and looked around the room. Sam was in what she deemed as 'lecture mode'. It reminded her of her professors during her time in community college. She was tempted to tune him out, but she knew it was important for her to listen. "It's cut off by these canyons here," he gestured to the map he'd been looking at. "rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place."

Addie shifted her weight and thumbed through one of the books she'd found on the wildlife at Blackwater idly. She was already past bored with the Lost Creek Ranger Station.

"Guys check out the size of this freaking bear."

When she looked up from the book, she saw Dean holding up a picture of a man with a huge bear. She crossed the room and shoved him, chuckling quietly. Sam moved to get a closer look.

"And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area," he commented. "It's no nature hike, that's for sure."

"You kids aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?" a voice said.

A ranger had walked in. Addie thought fast - what would be a convincing cover for them to assume?

_College students...researchers. _Addie smiled, relieved that the thought had come so quickly. Maybe she hadn't forgotten everything.

"We're enviromental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper." she blurted.

The ranger surveyed her for a moment, and maybe it was too long, because Dean thrust a fist in the air.

"Recycle man." he said, grinning at them.

Addie wanted to kill him - given time (and the lack of his idiocy) they might have convinced the guy, but that wasn't happening.

"Bull." the ranger snapped, and Addie's face fell. "You're friends with that Haley girl, right?"

Addie nodded, deciding to go with it. "Yes. Yes, Ranger Wilkinson." she replied after a quick glance at his name badge.

Ranger Wilkinson sighed.

"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons, now is it?" she and Dean both shook their heads. "You tell that girl to quit worrying. I'm sure her brother's just fine."

"We will. Thanks." Addie said quickly before Dean could open his mouth. She turned to her brothers and jerked her head toward the exit. "Let's go guys."

As they climbed back into the Impala, Dean caught his big sister's eye in the rear view mirror.

"Like riding a bike huh?" he said, smiling at her.

"Uh-huh."

She didn't smile back.

* * *

"Alright, this time just shut the fuck up and let me do the talking," Addie glared at Dean who was staring at her incredulously. "What? My cover story would've held if you'd kept your mouth shut."

They were parked outside of what Sam had determined to be the house that Haley lived in.

"Hey you weren't trying to sell it harder - I was trying to help!"

"Well this time don't!" she snarled.

He glared at her as they walked up to the front door. Addie reached over and knocked. A few minutes later, it opened to reveal a girl with dark hair, wearing a black tank top and jeans.

Addie smiled tentatively at her. God she hoped this would be as easy as lying to Ranger Wilkinson.

"You must be Haley Collins," she greeted. "I'm Addison, this is Dean and Sam." she gestured to her brothers. "We're, uh...rangers with the Park Service. Ranger Wilkinson sent us over. He wanted us to ask a few questions about your brother, Tommy."

Thank God Dean had managed to sneak a copy of the permit Tommy Collins had filed, or she would be lost right now.

Haley eyed them hesitantly through her screen door. "Let me see some ID."

Addie, Sam and Dean quickly produced the fake IDs Dean had fished out of his glove compartment when they left the Ranger station and held them up for Haley to see. She sighed and opened the door for them.

"Come on in."

* * *

Haley led them into her kitchen where another boy was seated at the table while on his laptop.

"My brother, Ben." she introduced, and Addie smiled tentatively at him.

"So if Tommy's not due back for a while, how do you know something's wrong?" asked Sam.

Haley, who'd gone to retrieve a bowl, returned to the table and placed it down on the table.

"He checks in every day by cell. He emails, photos, stupid little videos - we haven't heard anything in over three days now."

Addie glanced at her brothers. "Dead battery maybe? My cell only lasts so long, you know - gotta keep a charger close by."

Haley shook her head. "Even if, he's got a satellite phone."

Dean shrugged. "Could it be he's just having fun aand forgot to check in?"

Ben looked up abruptly. "He wouldn't do that."

Addie glanced at Haley, who'd gone to get more food to put on the table. "Let me help you with that," she said, leaving Sam and Dean to their own devices.

"Our parents are gone," she told Addie as Addie took a couple of bowls from her arms. "It's just my two brothers and me. We all keep pretty close tabs on each other."

Addie smiled. "I used to be like that with my brothers."

Haley cocked her head to the side, staring at Addie intently. "What happened?"

Addie was silent for a moment. "Their life wasn't the one I wanted."

* * *

"Oh hell no!"

"What? You've roughed it in nature before." Dean rolled his eyes at Addison and passed her a beer.

"That's not my point, Dean! We have no fucking indication Dad is here at all, except some lousy coordinates!"

"That doesn't mean he's not here." Dean shot back. "Haley's brother is missing. Sam told you what Mr. Shaw saw when he was a kid." Shaw was an elderly man they'd visited before going to see Haley. His parents had been killed, supposedly by a grizzly - but what kind of bear could break into a locked cabin? Addie grimaced at remembering the description Shaw had fed her brothers of the night his parents had died. She hadn't wanted to go in. Part of her was still stuck in the real world...the one where monsters didn't exist. "This thing is real...and they could be attacked tomorrow. Haley won't back down on going down to the Ridge to find her brother."

Addie shook her head. "You guys go. I -"

"What the fuck is your problem?" he demanded. "You were fine with everything up to this point - now that we know it's not a spirit, that it's an actual creature, you want to bail?"

Addie

"Fuck you, Dean."

She ran from the bar, pissing off several patrons as she shoved past them. Dean followed, against Sam's advice to let her be.

"You don't get to do this again," he told her angrily as he watched her pull out her cell, likely about to call for a cab. He grabbed it before she could punch any number. "You don't get to run without an explanation."

"Hey!" she tried to grab it again, but he held it out of her reach. The downside of being a big sister was having brothers that were both taller than you were. Damn teenage growth spurts.

"Talk to me, Addie." he said quietly. "You wanted back in. Why do you suddenly want back out?"

"It makes everything real again." she whispered, turning away from him and wrapping her arms around herself. "Dean, I haven't slept with a knife under my pillow in years - I haven't salted windows, or spray-painted Devil's Traps on the carpet. I felt safe - happy. And now I'm back in a world where that's not gonna cut it. I don't know if I can deal with that."

"Then you let us help you." Sam had joined them, and he pulled her into a hug. "Okay? Just...don't leave again, Add. Please. Don't put us through that again."

She hesitated. She'd wanted back in to find their dad - to find the thing that had killed her family. She knew she'd regret it if she backed out, but...

"Well I guess I should find some hiking boots then." she said finally, gesturing to the tennis shoes she was wearing. "These aren't gonna cut it." Sam smiled in relief and hugged her, and she felt Dean slip her phone back into her hand. "Let's figure out what this is and gank the fucker."

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**I decided to break it into two parts 'cause it just wasn't cuttin' it to cram everything in here. I have more focus on Addie coming in part 2, which I think is gonna be better than just inserting her into the episode.**

**Anyway, reviews are welcome. Constructive criticism is accepted - no flames please!**


	3. Wendigo: Part 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters.

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Note: So sorry for not updating sooner! Life (and other fics) got in the way.

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Chapter 2:  
**Wendigo: Part 2**

The next morning found Addie asleep in the back of the Impala as she, Sam and Dean drove out to the forrest to take the hike down to Blackwater Ridge with Haley and her brother. Dean glanced briefly in the rear view mirror at his sister as he pulled the Impala into park when he saw Haley and Ben, and a man they didn't know.

"You wake her."

Sam twisted around in his seat and looked at Addie, then turned to look at Dean.

"Hell no. You know what she's like. She broke your wrist once, remember?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yes, but I was back in her good graces the next day, thanks to painkillers."

"Let's just face facts - whoever wakes her is screwed." Dean sighed and reached for the door handle of the driver's side door.

"Sammy c'mon. We don't have time for this." he was out of the car in a flash, leaving Sam to wake Addie.

Dean walked over to Haley, Ben and the man he assumed was their guide. Haley eyed him skeptically.

"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked.

"Wait you guys want to come with us?" asked Haley.

"Who are these guys?" the guide wanted to know.

"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue," said Haley with a sigh.

At that moment, Sam let out a strangled yell, and Dean turned just in time to see his brother stumble away from the Impala, clutching his face. Blood seeped between his fingers and trickled down the back of his hand. He glared at Dean and moved to the back of the car before opening the trunk. A moment later, Addie crawled out of the back seat and stretched her arms before heading over to the others.

"What's up?" she said groggily. "What?" she became annoyed at the look Dean gave her. "I didn't break anything or he'd be in a hell of a lot more pain. Deserves a bloody nose for waking me up the way he did."

"And how did he do that, Add?" asked Dean, amused. "He make moose calls in your ear?"

"Fuck you." Sam said thickly as he approached, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, a wad of paper napkins shoved against his nostrils. "I just shook her a little."

"More like a lot." Addie retorted. "I think you shook a part of my brain loose."

"You'll live." Sam said exasperatedly.

"You guys are rangers?" said the guide, eyeing them suspiciously.

Dean nodded.

"That's right."

"And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans?" Haley asked incredulously.

Dean grinned.

"Well sweetheart I don't do shorts," he replied.

"It's true." Addie smirked. "Guy's got chicken thin legs." Dean threw her a dirty look and gave her the middle finger. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go find Tommy."

* * *

_"Daaaaaaaaaaadd."_

_"Don't 'Dad' me, Addison. This is important."_

_Addie glared at her father and adjusted her grip on the gun. "We go over this every week - I've been able to shoot for almost a year. I'm better than Dean is."_

_John rolled his eyes. "Look we still have to make sure you stay on top of your game." he told the nine-year-old. "Now do it again."_

_Addie sighed and aimed the gun at the makeshift target (an old pop can) again. When she fired, the bullet hit the can straight on._

The group had been hiking for a while when Dean spoke to the guide, whose name they'd learned was Roy.

"Roy, you said you did a little hunting."

"More than a little," Roy responded.

"Uh-huh." Dean nodded. "What kind of furry critters do you hunt?"

"Mostly buck...sometimes bear." Roy shrugged at Dean as he walked past.

Dean glanced back at his siblings and then at Roy again. "Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?"

Addie let out a yell as Roy suddenly grabbed her brother, but Sam held her back. Roy was pointing at something on the ground.

"You should watch where you're stepping, _ranger._" he said coolly before walking off.

Dean glanced at Haley, who glared back at him before ushering Ben forward. She hung back, which confused Addie at first, but then she realized that Haley had probably figured out that their story was fake. She and Dean spoke for a moment and she looked back at Sam and Addie. Then she walked off.

Dean looked over at Addie and grinned as he pulled some peanut M&amp;Ms out of the bag in his hand and ate them.

"Those are my favorite," she whined as she and Sam walked over to him, making a swipe for the bag. Dean held it out of her reach and he and Sam laughed when she actually jumped to try and grab at it. "What'd you tell her?"

He shrugged. "The truth? That we're really siblings looking for our dad."

Sam nodded, and after a few seconds of considering his answer, Addie made another grab for the M&amp;Ms. "Damn it, Dean!" she cried. "Let me have some!"

Dean just laughed and moved the large bag again so she couldn't grab it.

"Guys, we should get moving," Roy called, and Addie sighed as Dean walked off.

"Remind me to punch him later." she muttered.

Sam snorted.

"Sure."

* * *

It was about another half an hour before they reached a clearing in the forrest and stopped. Addie felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she looked around at the trees and realized that the area was completely silent.

"This is is." Roy told the others, "Blackwater Ridge."

Addie frowned.

"What coordinates are we at?" she asked.

Roy glanced at his GPS. "Thirty-five and minus one-eleven."

Someone nudged her shoulder and when she turned, she saw Dean standing next to her, and Sam next to him.

"You hear that?" he muttered.

"Yeah," Sam whispered. "Not even crickets."

Roy shouldered his rifle and pocketed his GPS. "I'm gonna take a look around." he said.

Sam shook his head. "You shouldn't go off by yourself."

Roy rolled his eyes.

"That's sweet. Don't worry about me."

Addie groaned exasperatedly before grabbing the duffel bag from Sam.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked indignantly.

"What's it look like?" she snapped as she pulled out a gun. "If it's a skinwalker or a black dog, I'm gonna make sure Roy doesn't get himself killed." she shoved the duffel back at Sam and then tucked the gun into the back of her jeans. "Alright, everyone stays together," she said loudly, sparing a glance at Haley and Ben. "Let's go."

It wasn't long before Roy yelled out for Haley and the group ran to find him in the middle of a campsite that had been totally destroyed. Addie tried to ignore the blood on the tents...it wasn't going to help to jump to conclusions about whether the campers were still alive.

She wasn't even certain this could have been Tommy's campsite...but then she saw Haley walk over and pick something up. She turned it over in her hand and began crying.

Tommy had been here.

"Looks like a grizzly," Roy said.

Addie's hand inched for the gun hidden under the dark gray jacket she was wearing. A grizzly wouldn't do this much damage.

"Easy." said a voice softly behind her. It was Sam. "Add leave it alone until we find something to actually shoot. 'Kay?"

She glared at him. "I haven't forgotten how to use one, you know." she whispered.

"I never said you did," he said patiently. "Just relax alright?"

She nodded after a moment of stubborn silence.

"Fine."

* * *

_"And what do you think you're doing?"_

_"Bite me Dean."_

_"No thanks. I wouldn't want to get girl diseases or anything."_

_"You know cooties don't exist right?"_

_"Screw you." Addie slung her small purse over her shoulder and made sure her small handgun was tucked in the back of her jeans, hidden by the oversized sweatshirt she was wearing._

_The six year old scowled. "You can't just stick me with babysitting duty. Dad told both of us to watch Sam."_

_"No, he told you to watch both of us." Dean shot back._

_Addie glared at him. "I'm going to get a soda you idiot. I'll be back in like ten minutes."_

_Dean rolled his eyes._

_"Whatever."_

"Help! Help!"

Addie ran after the others at the sound of the shouts. It had come from nowhere, and she knew that Haley probably hoped it was Tommy, but she wasn't so sure.

"Help!" the voice shouted again. "Somebody!"

Nothing. Addie looked at her brothers. Something was certainly not right. Something caught her eye on a nearby tree: claw marks and they were bloody.

"Everyone back to camp," Dean called.

When they reached the campsite again, they found their packs missing.

"Son of a bitch!" cried Addie. She stalked over to Dean. "Alright, let me see the damn journal." Dean stared at her with surprise."What? I may have been out of the game for a decade but I haven't forgotten a lot. Give it to me."

He wordlessly passed her the journal and she walked off, flipping frantically through the pages. She was sure she'd seen something like this before...one of her first hunts that John had taken her on...

Ah. She traced the word 'Wendigo' with her finger, skimming the description her father had written down.

"Crap." she muttered.

"Addie?" Sam asked quietly. He'd walked up behind her, Dean not far behind him. "What's up?" she showed him the pages in John's journal. "A wendigo? You sure?"

"Positive." she responded.

Dean looked skeptical. "Oh come on, wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, or Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west."

"Think about it, Dean." she replied, trying to keep her voice low so the others didn't hear. "The claws, the way it can mimic a human voice."

Dean sighed exasperatedly.

"Great." he said, resigned. "Well this is useless." he pulled out a small pistol he'd kept on him. Addie felt a small disappointment at that, realizing that her gun was also useless.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"We gotta get these people to safety," Sam said finally. He turned to Roy, Haley and Ben. "Alright, listen up, it's time to go. Things have gotten...more complicated."

Haley stared at him in surprise. "What?"

Roy regarded him for a moment and tightened his grip on his rifle. "Kid, don't worry. Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Sam said. "If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. Now."

Roy walked over to him, clearly agitated. "One, you're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders!"

Dean quickly pushed Sam away before he could say anything else.

"Relax." he told Roy seriously.

"We never should have let you come out here in the first place, alright? I'm trying to protect you."

Roy scoffed. "Maybe you should think about protecting your sister, idiot."

Sam stared at him in confusion.

"Our sister's right..." he turned around to look at Dean, who looked behind him. Addie was nowhere to be seen. "Damn it."

* * *

Addie made her way silently down through the trees, She hadn't wanted to leave the safety of the group, but she noticed when they left the campsite that more of the claw marks were on other trees.

It could be a possible lead to where ever the wendigo was holed up with Tommy.

She hadn't said anything to Sam and Dean because she knew they would have stopped her. She was the oldest, for crying out loud...and it was like she'd told them - she still remembered how to hunt.

"Tommy?" she called, placing one hand over a bloody claw mark slashed into the bark of one tree. "Tommy I'm here to help you. Hang on alright?"

She walked for a few hundred more feet when she heard rustling, accompanied by a roar.

"Fucking hell." she muttered and took off at a run.

She could hear the thing behind her, but she didn't stop until it was literally right in front of her. When it lunged and made a grab for her, she ducked. It lunged again and it's clawed hand slashed at her leg. White hot pain shot through her body as she looked down and saw the blood flowing from the wound.

Just as she was about to look back up, something hit her hard over the head, knocking her to the ground. Her vision blurred and then she lost consciousness.

_"Dean get Sam and get back to the motel room now!" Addie fired a warning shot at the skinwalker advancing toward them._

_"You got silver bullets?!" Dean demanded._

_Addie swore and frantically checked her pockets for her knife...how could she have forgotten the bullets?!_

_"No - I left my knife in the motel room. Fuck, Dad's gonna kill me!"_

_"Take mine!" Dean tossed it to her and she caught it by the handle._

_"Thanks," the twelve-year-old told her brother. "Now get outta here!"_

_Dean hesitated, but at the fierce glare his sister gave him, he grabbed Sam and ran back toward the motel._

_Addie turned to face the skinwalker._

"Dean!"

"Haley, wake up!"

"Dean!" pause. "Hey you okay?"

"Yeah."

Addie groaned softly and opened her eyes. Her head ached and her arms felt so sore. It took her a minute to recognize that they were raised above her head, bound at the wrists. She could hear the slight creak of something above her, and hypothesized it was an old wooden beam she was tied to.

"Son of a bitch."

She tilted her head and as her vision gradually sharpened, she saw Ben, Dean, Haley and Sam standing on the floor of some dark cavern. Ben was supporting Haley, and Dean had a bruise across one cheek.

Sam was staring directly at her.

"Dean where's your knife?" he asked abruptly as he crossed the small space over to her. Dean wordlessly tossed it to Sam, who proceeded to slice through the ropes. It wasn't too hard since they felt old and decayed. "You okay, Add?"

She felt a little dizzy as her feet hit the ground once the ropes were gone, but other than her head and her arms, she felt okay.

"I'm fine...what the hell's going -" she was cut off as Haley cried out and shrugged Ben off of her, before taking a few steps forward. "Haley...?"

Then she saw what had distressed the other woman. Another man was tied in the same fashion she had been, although he looked a lot worse than she probably did.

"Tommy," she choked out, and began crying as she approached her brother and touched his side. Addie looked at Haley with sympathy, knowing she'd be devastated if she were to ever lose one of her brothers.

But suddenly, Tommy's head jerked upward and he let out a shaky gasp. Haley quickly rounded on Sam, eyes bright with tears.

"Cut him down!" she cried, to which Sam quickly obliged. It took both Haley and Ben to support Tommy once he was free.

Dean had taken to examining their packs. Addie watched him closely, surprised by the fact that the monster had brought their packs back to its hideout.

"What are you looking for?" she asked. Dean didn't answer. "Dean, damn it -"

He held up a hand to silence her and stood, turning to face the rest of the group. In his hands he held two guns.

"Check it out," he said.

Sam nodded.

"Flare guns. Those'll work." he said.

Addie reached for one of the packs and slung it over her shoulder.

"Alright...let's get out of here."

Dean and Sam both nodded and they began to make their way out of the Wendigo's lair. The more Addie observed about the place, the more she realized what it was - an abandoned mine.

Suddenly loud growling errupted in the tunnel, and they stopped.

"Looks like someone's home for supper," Dean commented dryly.

Addie rolled her eyes.

"We'll never outrun it," Haley said.

Dean glanced back at them, and then at Sam.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.

Sam was quiet, but then he nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"You two wanna clue me in?" Addie asked irritably.

Dean ignored her. "Alright, listen to me," he told the Collins siblings. "Stay with Sam and Addie. They're gonna get you out of here."

Haley stared at him.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked.

Dean just winked at her and then took off at a run down the opposite end of the tunnel.

"Chow time, you freaky bastard!" he shouted. "Yeah that's right, bring it on, baby. I taste good!"

Addie looked incredulously at Sam. "Really?"

Sam just chuckled and gestured for them to follow him once Dea had rounded a corner and disappeared.

"Hey you want some white meat, bitch? I'm right here!"

Addie hid a smile as she followed the rest of the group back toward the exit. It wasn't long before they heard the growling again, and it was very close to them.

Sam swore and looked at Addie.

"Get them out of here." he said urgently.

"Sam -" she protested.

"Go!" he yelled. "_Go! _Go!"

Ben tugged insistently at Haley's arm over Tommy's shoulders. Sam and Addie shared a long look before she nodded and began pushing Haley forward.

"Come on guys..Come on!" she cried, pulling out her gun. Of course she knew it wasn't gonna do any harm to the wendigo if it caught them, but at least she wasn't totally without any defense.

As she turned, she heard Sam fire his gun and a roar. The next thing she knew, Sam was shoving her in front of him as they ran down the tunnel.

"Sam!" she and Haley both cried as they reached the end of the tunnel. There was no way out.

"Get behind us," Addie suddenly yelled, pushing past Ben to stand next to her brother.

"Are you insane?!" Sam snapped. "Get behind me!"

"I'm not gonna let you risk your neck alone!" she retorted.

The two looked at the opposite end of the tunnel where a large black shape was approaching them. Sam looked down at his flare gun and then raised it before taking aim at the creature.

Addie pulled her gun out and pointed it at the wendigo's head.

Before they could do anything else, she spotted Dean behind the wendigo, his own flare gun raised.

"Hey!" he yelled. It managed to get the wendigo's attention and when it turned around, Dean fired. Addie had to turn away to shield her eyes as it burst into flames.

"Not bad, huh?" she heard Dean say.

Silence.

"When we get out of here," she said wearily. "Remind me to kick your ass."

* * *

"Whatever sis," Dean replied cheerily. "Let's head out."

_"You killed it by yourself?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"It was threatening Dean and Sam...not to mention other motel guests." Addie stared at the floor, not sure she wanted to look John in the eye. She didn't want to hear praise from him for something she hadn't wanted to do. Sure the fucker deserved to die, but this was not something she wanted to keep doing with her life. "I did what I had to."_

_John nodded._

_"Well...you could've been a bit more discreet, Addison." he said after a while. "Looks like we're done here. You get the boys packed, and we'll leave in the morning."_

_"Okay."_

_Addie didn't add that it wasn't her responsibility to pack up Sam's or Dean's things._

"And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?"

"That's when it circled the campsite," Ben replied as Tommy was loaded into the ambulance that was waiting to take off. "I mean, this grizzly must've weighed eight hundred, nine hundred pounds..."

Addie snorted and leaned into Dean's side as they watched Sam and Ben lie to the officer.

"A grizzly. Really."

Dean shrugged. "Seemed the most plausible thing to come up with. 'S not like we could tell 'em the truth."

"Yeah."

The two stood watching the scene in silence for a while.

"Addie?" Dean said finally.

"What?"

Whatever he'd been about to say was lost as Haley approached them.

"So I don't know how to thank you," she told Dean.

Dean smirked, and Addie groaned. Haley laughed.

"Must you cheapen the moment?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dean said.

"You're an idiot." Addie muttered. Dean ignored her.

Ben walked over to join them and leaned into his sister. A paramedic approached their group and addressed Haley.

"Are you riding with your brother?"

Haley nodded.

"Yeah."

She kissed Dean's cheek.

"I hope you find your father," she said softly before moving to hug Addison. She thanked Sam as she and Ben walked off to the ambulance, and Addie and Dean headed for the Impala with Sam on their heels.

"Man I hate camping," Dean said finally, breaking the heavy silence.

"Me too." Sam agreed.

"Not ever gonna do it again," Addie said firmly.

Dean looked at Sam.

"Sam, you know we're gonna find Dad, right?"

Addie frowned. Apparently she'd missed a lot while being held by the Wendigo.

Sam nodded. "Yeah I know." he grinned and walked over to the driver's side door of the Impala. "But in the mean time? I'm driving."

Dean grinned back at him and tossed him the keys. Addie stared at the two wordlessly, mouth agape.

"What?" Dean asked.

Addie huffed. "Okay that's just wrong. Next town, it's my turn to drive this thing."

Dean scoffed. "In your dreams."

Addie glared at him. "I almost broke Sam's nose, you know. I can break other things...like balls."

Dean glanced warily at Sam, who shrugged. "Your balls, your choice man."

Dean sighed exasperatedly. "Next town. Fine." he said resentfully.

Addie thrust a fist in the air in triumph before climbing into the Impala.

"Yes!" she cried. "and I get to pick the music!"

Dean swore under his breath.

"If she jacks up my stations so help me..." he muttered. "Alright, let's get out of here."

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! Reviews are welcome. No flames please. :)


	4. Dead in the Water: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 3:**  
**Dead in the Water: Part 1**

"You gonna tell me what's so fascinating?"

Dean merely shrugged, ignoring Addie and continued to make circles around areas in the newspaper he was reading.

"Okay. Fine." she snatched the portion of the paper he'd been going over away from him.

"Hey!" Dean exclaimed and tried to get it back, but Addie smirked and held it out of his reach, toward the empty booth behind them and held it up so Sam could see. "No fair!"

Addie laughed. "'S not about fair, little brother." Dean huffed in exasperation and slumped back in his seat. She grinned and handed the paper to Sam once she'd looked at it herself. "Obituaries? Really?"

Dean rolled his eyes.

"I think I found one." he explained, sitting up a little straighter and leaning forward over the table. "Check out the one for Sophie Carlton."

Both Addie and Sam skimmed through the circled obits until they found the one Dean was talking about.

"Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin," Addie read. "Last week Sophie Carlton, eighteen, walks into the lake, doesn't walk out. Authorities dragged the water; nothing." she handed the paper to Sam. "Sophie Carlton is the third Lake Manitoc drowning this year."

"None of the other bodies were found either." Dean said. "They had a funeral two days ago."

"A funeral?" Sam said incredulously.

Dean shrugged.

"Yeah, it's weird. They buried an empty coffin. For, uh, closure or whatever."

Sam snorted and set the paper down on the table. "Closure? What closure? People don't just disappear, Dean. Other people just stop looking for them."

Dean's eyes narrowed.

"Something you want to say to me?"

"The trail for Dad. It's getting colder every day."

"Exactly. So what are we supposed to do?"

Sam scoffed.

"I don't know. Something. Anything."

"You know what?" Addie said quickly before Dean could retort. "I'm gonna go take care of the check, alright?" she snatched it up from where it lay next to Dean's empty plate. "You two either take it outside, or talk it out. If I hear punches being thrown, I'm taking the Impala and leaving both your asses here."

"Like hell." Dean snapped, but as soon as she was out of the booth she'd shared with Sam, she'd made a grab for his jacket pocket and pulled the car keys out from it.

"Try me." she snapped before plastering a smile to her face, grabbing her purse and heading up to the front counter. Once she had paid, she went outside and waited in the driver's seat of the Impala.

It took less than five minutes before Dean and Sam left the diner and headed across the parking lot to her.

"Get in the back." Dean ordered.

She laughed and handed him the keys. "You know I was kidding, right?" she kissed his cheek before getting into the back seat. "I'd have come back after two or three miles."

"Whatever." he muttered.

Sam glanced at Addie, then at Dean.

"So how far to Lake Manitoc?" he asked.

* * *

**Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin**

"Is that it?"

"Matches the address." Dean pulled up in front of a large, lakehouse that was green, had two cases of steps that led up onto the front porch, and a red roof. He put the car in park and they got out. "You got your ID?"

"Yup. Now why don't the two of you let me do the talking this time?" she asked coolly as they climbed up onto the front porch and she knocked on the door.

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam, who shrugged. Addie took a deep breath as the door opened and they were met by a man. Luckily, they'd done their homework on who was who. The guy was too young to be the father, Bill.

"Will Carlton?" Addie asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, that's right."

Addie held up her badge. "I'm Agent Ford, this is Agent Hamill, and Agent Fisher." she gestured to Sam and Dean. "We're with the U.S. Wildlife Service - we're here about what happened to your sister."

Will nodded silently, and led them around to the lake behind the house. A long dock ran from the bank behind the house out into the lake. On the far end, sat a wooden bench. An older man sat upon it, starng out at the water.

"She was about a hundred yards out," Will said mechanically, and Addie felt a rush of sympathy for him - how many times must he have had to say this for the reporters and the police? "That's where she got dragged down."

"And you're sure she didn't just drown?" Dean asked.

Will nodded.

"Yeah. She was a varsity swimmer," he explained. "She practically grew up in that lake. She was as safe out there as her own bathtub."

Addie cast a shrewd look at the water before walking out onto the dock. She didn't go too far, but turned to look out on either side for any signs of spirits or monsters. There was nothing. The lake was perfectly calm.

* * *

_"But Daaaddd."_

_"No buts. Just jump in, Addie. It's fine."_

_"What if something gets me?!"_

_"Nothing will get you." her father assured the eight year old. "This lake is clear - I checked it out. No wraiths, no spirits, no nothing. Now come on. We need to get through these drills quickly."_

_"We can't just swim for fun?" Addie asked him._

_John's answer was immediate. _

_"No."_

"Did you see any shadows in the water?" Sam was asking Will. "Maybe some dark shape breach the surface?"

"Don't see how," Addie responded before Will could answer as she walked up and rejoined the three men. "She was far out, right?" she asked Sophie's brother.

Will nodded. "Right."

Dean glanced down at the ground and then back up at Will.

"You ever see any strange tracks by the shoreline?" he asked.

Will shook his head.

"No, never." he answered. "Why? Why, what do you think's out there?"

Dean shrugged. "We'll let you know as soon as we do."

* * *

"I still don't get why I have to be Fisher." Dean complained.

Addie grinned. "Because I said so." she punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Oh come on. What other logical alias works with Ford and Hamill?"

Dean thought about it.

"Jones?" he suggested. "Cushing? Guiness?"

Addie and Sam both laughed. They were seated in the Impala outside the local police station.

"Sorry man, you wanted something different, you should have picked it back when we made the IDs," Sam pointed out.

Dean muttered something under his breath that Addie was certain was a 'fuck you.'.

"Boys, play nice." she chided, giggling as Dean huffed in annoyance and punched Sam in the shoulder, only for Sam to punch him back. "Hey! Can we please adopt professional personas before we get into the sheriff's office?"

Dean snorted.

"Whatever."

They headed inside the police station.

"Now, I'm sorry, but why does the Wildlife Service care about an accidental drowning?"

Sam stared at the sheriff, a man by the name of Jake Devins.

"You sure it's accidental?" he asked. "Will Carlton saw something grab his sister."

"Like what?" Jake asked as he headed back to his office. Addie, Sam, and Dean followed him. "Here, sit, please." he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. There were only two, and Sam let Addie have the one that Dean hadn't quickly occupied. "There are no indigenous carnivores in that lake. There's nothing even big enough to pull down a person, unless it was the Loch Ness Monster."

"Yeah." Dean said with a forced laugh. "Right."

Jake sighed. "Will Carlton was traumatized, and sometimes the mind plays tricks. Still -" he sat down. "We dragged that entire lake. We even ran a sonar sweep just to be sure, and there was nothing down there."

"That's weird though," Addie commented, "I mean, that's the third missing body this year."

"I know." Jake nodded. "These are people from my town. These are people I care about."

Addie smiled softly at him. "I know."

"Anyway..." Jake huffed. "All this...it won't be a problem much longer."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

Jake stared at Dean for a minute and Addie had to fight the urge to smack her brother around the head. They'd done their research of course; They knew about the dam.

"Of course," Dean said quickly, perhaps sensing his sister's annoyance, "the dam. It's uh, it sprung a leak."

"It's falling apart," Jake explained. "and the feds won't give us the grant to repair it, so they've opened up the spillway. In another six months, there won't be much of a lake. There won't be much of a town, either. But as Federal Wildlife, you already knew that."

"Exactly," Addie said, "Just helps hearing what's going on from a local's perspective is all."

"Mmmhm." Jake gave her a long look before the sound of knocking on the door caught his attention. A young woman with dark hair entered the office. A boy around ten, with shoulder length auburn hair, was at her side.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" she asked, glancing from Addie, Dean, and Sam to Jake. Dean and Addie stood up and stepped away from their chairs. "I can come back later."

Jake shook his head.

"This is my daughter," he informed the three.

Dean grinned and approached her. Addie felt her annoyance with her brother begin to escalate. How could he try to pick up a woman right now?! She was sure that Jake was already suspicious of them, and if Dean let his hormones override the case, they were done for.

Dean shook the woman's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dean."

"Andrea Barr." she responded. "Hi."

"Sorry, he's a bit of an idiot," Addie interjected as Dean opened his mouth again. "I'm Addie, and this is Sam."

"They're from the Wildlife Service." Jake explained. "About the lake."

"Oh." Andrea said.

Addie turned her attention from Andrea to the boy with her.

"Hey there," she said to him. "What's your name?"

Instead of answering, the boy turned and walked away, out of the office. Andrea hastily followed him.

"His name's Lucas." Jake supplied, taking note of Addie's saddened expression. "You have kids?"

"Had." she said in a hollow voice.

Jake's face softened and he walked over to her, placing hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." she said.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked, glancing out of the office window to the main room, where Andrea was now supplying Lucas with crayons and paper.

"My grandson's been through a lot. We all have." Jake went to the office door and opened it. "Well if there's anything else I can do for you, please let me know."

"Thanks," Dean told him as they headed to leave. "You know, now that you mention it, could you point us in the direction of a reasonably priced motel?"

But Jake didn't answer them, Andrea did.

"Lakefront Motel," she said. "Go around the corner. It's about two blocks south."

Dean cocked his head to the side. "Two - would you mind showing us?"

Andrea snorted. "You want me to walk you two blocks?"

It was Addie's turn to laugh. "Well me and him can find it easily." she gestured to Sam. "but Dean, well - he gets lost easily. Makes us have to do a lot of hand holding."

Sam tried not to laugh, and Addie fought down the urge to giggle at the sight of Dean's responding scowl.

"But if it's not any trouble," she added. "We'd appreciate it."

Andrea nodded and looked at Jake.

"I'll be back to pick Lucas up at three." she said. Then she turned to Lucas and kissed the top of his head. "We'll go to the park, okay, sweetie?"

Lucas didn't respond, seemingly immersed in the drawing he was working on.

"Thanks again," Addie called to Jake before they left the station.

"So cute kid," Dean said as they headed around the corner and down the street from the station.

"Thanks." Andrea answered as they came to a crosswalk.

"Kids are the best, huh?" he tried and Andrea looked at him incredulously before turning her attention back to the street.

Addie grinned silently at Sam as the walk continued in silence. Before long, they stopped in front of a large building. The sign in front read, Lakefront Motel.

"There it is," Andrea said. "Like I said, two blocks."

"Thanks," Sam said earnestly.

Andrea turned to Dean.

"Must be hard," she commented, "with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line." she looked at Addie and Sam and smiled. "Enjoy your stay!"

Addie and Sam waited until she was out of earshot before bursting into laughter.

"Fuck you both." Dean spat. "I'm going to check us in. You need anything?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Addie smirked. "You want some ice for that burn?"

Dean flipped her off before heading inside the motel. It made Addie and Sam laugh even harder.

* * *

Later when they had gotten into their rooms, Addie had come to see what the next phase of the investigation was, instead of staying in her own room by herself. Sam was hunched over his laptop, typing furiously at the keyboard while Dean unpacked his clothes.

"So there's the three drowning victims this year." Sam said finally, looking up from the screen at Addie and Dean.

"Any before that?" Dean asked.

"Uh, yeah." Sam turned the laptop around so Addie and Dean could see the screen. Addie heaved herself up off the bed she was sitting on and walked over to get a closer look at the browser Sam had open.

"'Drowning Taints Ice Fishing Festival'," she read. "Twelve-year-old girl drowns in lake. Second drowning in six months at Lake Manitoc.'"

Dean frowned. "So what, we got a lake monster on a binge?"

Addie rolled her eyes.

"Nessie doesn't exist Dean."

"How much you want to bet?" he shot back.

"Sweetheart, our bets don't work out well - for you anyway," Addie chuckled. "but of course, I'll humor you. Hundred bucks, cold hard cash."

"And if you lose?"

Addie snorted. "So confident, are you?" she thought about it. "Up to you."

Dean grinned.

"You shouldn't have said that."

Addie snorted and looked at Sam. "He only says that because nothing will ever top when he lost that last bet we had before I left."

Sam laughed.

"I forgot about that."

Addie grinned. "I still have the polaroids at home."

Dean flushed. "We promised we'd never talk about that!"

Addie grinned.

"Then you shouldn't have bet something impossible for me to lose, little brother." she chided, ducking when he grabbed a pillow off of the bed and lobbed it at her. She caught it before it could collide with her face. "C'mon, we should get back to work."

"Yes Mom," Dean said in a mocking tone as he went to check out the article Sam had pulled up on his laptop. "Wait." he pointed at the screen. "Barr. Christopher Barr. Where have I heard that name before?"

"Christopher Barr," Sam read, "the victim in May." Addie rounded the table to stand next to Dean as Sam clicked on another link. The article headline read _Local Man in Tragic Accident._ Addie gasped as the picture with the article loaded to reveal a police officer with - _Lucas._ "Oh. Christopher Barr was Andrea's husband, Lucas's father. Apparently he took Lucas out swimming. Lucas was on a floating wooden platform when Chris drowned. Two hours before the kid got rescued."

"That's awful," Addie said.

Sam sighed.

"Maybe we have an eye witness after all." he said.

"No wonder that kid was so freaked out." Dean added, glancing at Addie. "Watching one of your parents die isn't something you just get over."

"Yeah." Addie said softly, eyes glassy. She still remembered that night their mother died in vivid detail, though it had been decades since it had happened, and she knew Dean remembered it too, though with less detail. "We uh...we should go see if Andrea'll let us talk to him."

* * *

They ended up finding Andrea at the local park, seated on a bench while she watched Lucas as he colored a few feet away, toy soldiers scattered across the pile of white paper he had with him.

"Can we join you?" Sam asked when they had walked up to Andrea, who turned at hearing him.

She smiled uncertainly. "I'm here with my son."

Dean glanced at Lucas.

"Oh." he said. "Mind if I say hi?"

Without waiting for an answer, he walked over to where Lucas was. Andrea glanced at Addie.

"Should your boyfriend being trying this whole _Jerry Maguire _thing out on me right now?" she asked. "It's not gonna work."

Sam burst into laughter which, at a look from Addie, he quickly turned into a coughing fit. Addie smiled at Andrea.

"He's my brother, not my boyfriend." she explained. "but I'll pass on the message."

"Oh!" Andrea flushed. "I'm sorry, I -"

"Don't be." Addie smiled and nodded toward where Dean was now coloring on a piece of paper while he talked to Lucas. "Lucas seems like a good kid."

"He is," Andrea smiled. "You have kids?"

"A, uh...I had a daughter," Addie replied. "She passed about a month ago."

"I'm so sorry," Andrea said, and she looked it. Sam wrapped his arm around Addie's shoulders. "So..."

"Oh. Nope, this is my other brother." Addie said. "I'm the oldest."

"You're also the shortest," Sam teased.

"Fuck you."

"Language. There are kids present."

"I know. I'm standing next to an overgrown five year old."

Sam rolled his eyes and Andrea laughed but her attention turned somber as she looked back at Lucas.

"Lucas hasn't said a word, not even to me. Not since his dad's accident." she explained as Dean rejoined them.

"Yeah we heard." he said. "Sorry."

"What are the doctors saying?" Sam asked.

Andrea nodded, though her eyes stayed on her son. "That it's some kind of post-traumatic stress."

"That can't be easy. For either of you."

"We moved in with my dad," she responded. "He helps out a lot. It's just...when I think about what Lucas went through, what he saw..."

"Kids are strong," Dean told her, "You'd be surprised what they can deal with."

Just then, Lucas joined them. Addie was astounded by how quietly he'd approached - she hadn't even heard him walk up.

Andrea smiled at him. "Hey sweetie."

Lucas looked at her and then turned to Dean before handing him the picture he was carrying.

"Thanks," he said, "Thanks, Lucas."

Lucas said nothing, but headed back to his bench in silence.

* * *

"So I think it's safe to say we can rule out Nessie."

Addie fist pumped the air. "Yes!" she crowed before rounding on Dean. "Pay up."

He shook his head, grinning at his sister. "Bet was to prove whether or not Nessie exists, Add. Still anyone's game." he looked at Sam, who'd entered the hotel room after going on a food run. "What do you mean?"

"I just drove by the Carlton house," Sam answered, "There was an ambulance there. Will Carlton is dead."

"Oh my God." Addie breathed. "He drowned?"

Sam nodded. "Yep. In the sink."

"What the hell?" Dean said incredulously. "So you're right, this isn't a creature. We're dealing with something else."

"Yeah, but what?" said Addie.

Dean shrugged.

"I don't know." he replied. "Water wraith, maybe? Some kind of demon? I mean, something that controls water...water that comes from the same source."

"The lake," Sam realized.

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"Which would explain why it's upping the body count." Addie told them, "The lake is draining. It'll be dry in a few months. Whatever this thing is, whatever it wants, it's running out of time."

"And if it can get through the pipes, it can get to anyone, almost anywhere." he sighed and stood up. "This is gonna happen again soon."

"And we do know one other thing for sure," Sam reminded him, "We know this _has _got something to do with Bill Carlton."

"Yeah." Dean nodded. "It took both his kids."

"And I've been asking around." Sam continued. "Lucas's dad, Chris - Bill Carlton's godson."

Addie ran a hand through her hair and then retrieved her jacket from where it lay on one of the beds.

"Let's go pay Mr. Carlton a visit."

No one answered when Dean knocked on the door of the Carlton house. Addie and Sam peeked through the windows, trying to see if anyone was inside. They didn't see anyone.

"Let's check out back," Addie said finally, when Sam went for his lock pick kit. "There's clearly no one in there, Sam. Best bet's the lake."

"You think?" Dean said with a roll of his eyes as Sam put the kit away again. "Let's go."

They found Mr. Carlton sitting on a bench out on the dock.

"Mr. Carlton?" Addie said tentatively as they approached him. The man looked up at hearing her voice and stared at them for a moment. "We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

No answer. Mr. Carlton turned away from them and stared out at the lake.

"We're from the, the Department -" Dean started, but Mr. Carlton cut him off.

"I don't care who you're with." he said brokenly, "I've answered enough questions today."

Addie shifted her weight uncomfortably as Sam cleared his throat.

"Your son said he saw something in that lake," he tried, "What about you? You ever see anything out there?" No answer. "Mr. Carlton, Sophie's drowning and Will's death - we think there might be a connection to you or your family."

"My children are dead." Mr. Carlton replied bluntly. "It...It's worse than dying. Go away. Please."

Sam and Dean exchanged a look and turned around to head back up the dock toward the shore. Addie didn't move. At the shoreline, her brothers turned to see her standing behind Mr. Carlton's bench, her stance rigid.

"You go," Sam said, turning to Dean. "I'll get her."

Dean nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

**I went ahead and broke this into two parts since I felt it was getting way too long. Next chapter will be up asap! Hope y'all like it. Reviews are welcome - no flames please. Constructive criticism accepted.**


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